MEMBER for Fisher Andrew Wallace and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price discussed their position on the Voice to Parliament, ahead of a free community Voice Forum in Caloundra last week.
MP Andrew Wallace said the Albanese government has not provided enough information regarding what the Voice will entail, and that he is banking on Australians to vote yes out of goodwill.
“What the PM is doing, in a very aggressive way, is trying to foist upon the Australian people a proposal to change the constitution by way of a referendum, that’s risky, its unknown, its permanent and its divisive,” he said.
“He is hoping the Australian people’s goodwill will extend from constitutional recognition, which is supported by more than 90% of Australians…
“Over into something Australians know very little about, he as the prime minister of this country, has given us such very little detail.”
Senator Jacinta Price added the Voice is racist, as it assumes all indigenous Australians are disadvantaged, which she believes is false.
“…not all indigenous Australians are disadvantaged, I’m certainly not, but this means they won’t be able to address those who are actually really disadvantaged,” she said.
“Our most disadvantaged are in remote indigenous communities where they are still speaking their native language, where English is sometimes a third language to them, and where they are still practicing parts of traditional culture… they are our most marginalised.”
Senator Price also said it was extremely important for Australians to be fully educated on the Voice before they vote in the referendum, and more can be done to improve the lives of indigenous Australians.
“I would suggest to do your homework, understand what this really means and make your decision after you’ve been well informed,” she said.
“…we haven’t actually taken a fine-tooth comb to the $33 billion per year that are acquired to close the gap, which organisations are funded to close the gap with and haven’t audited those funds
“This is to determine its actually affecting our most marginalised or how it can be better spent and how to account those who aren’t in fact producing the outcomes they are funded to do.”
